Help prevent canine by doing these simple things most dog guardians overlook.

SCARED POOPLESS: The newsletter for your dog, Chiclet T. Dog, Editor

According to Chinese Astrology, whatever that is, 2006 is the Year of the Dog. If you’re a dog, as I am, you’ve gotta be excited! And can it be just a coincidence that this is the first Year of the Dog in my lifetime and also the first year I published a book? I think not. Clearly, I’m a dog of destiny.

Speaking of destiny, I’m going to change mine by making a New Year’s Resolution this year. I’ve never made one before, but you have to change if you want to keep growing, right? I’m a little concerned, though, because Mom says resolutions are easily broken (like those little squeakers in doggy toys?), but I promise to be careful. So here’s my Resolution: I resolve that my boyfriend Jiggy and I will never get cancer like so many of our good friends have.

Did you know that half of all older dogs who die of disease (and way too many young ones) die of cancer? Jiggy and I know there are no guarantees, but in addition to all the changes in diet, pest control and vaccination protocols our research has prompted us take, here’s our plan for avoiding those “hidden” dangers that trip up so many of us:

AVOID HIDDEN TOXINS. What goes on ground doesn’t stay on the ground. If our feet encounter pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, chemicals, oil, road grime or road salt, toxic cleansers or any other awful stuff, they’ll end up inside us when we lick our tootsie’s clean—unless you clean them first. (Bet you don’t know when they treat the grass at your local dog park or on that golf course you walk us on.) It may be a hassle, but cleaning our tootsies after walking on toxic surfaces today will be a lot less troublesome, sad and expensive than making multiple trips to the vet (and the bank) to treat our cancer someday. Hint: One of our readers, Cindy, uses all-natural baby wipes on her babies’ paws!Our Motto: If you wouldn’t lick it; don’t let us walk on it without cleaning our feet afterwards. And if any household product says “avoid swallowing” or “keep out of the reach of children,” keep it away from us, too. 

AVOID TOXIC FOODS As many of you know, Mom recently interviewed holistic vet and nutrition expert Dr. Jean Hofve for our first teleseminar. Though I admit to napping through most of it (I prefer a few straight-to-the-point barks to your species’ propensity for talking), I listened to the recording this morning. Dr. H is soooo funny--and soooo scary. I was shocked when she said to:     • Be wary of any processed pet food containing corn because of the high pesticide residue in the feed corn used in many of these foods. She said it’s even legal to feed us corn condemned as too pesticide-laden for you two-leggers. What?!? To be safe, call the company making the food in question and ask if they use feed corn (as opposed to people-food quality corn) and ask about what they consider an acceptable level of pesticides. Then ask, acceptable to whom?     • Avoid peanuts for the same reason. Dr. H said, to be safe, peanuts and peanut butter must be organic.All this talk of hidden pesticides makes me so angry I could growl. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. (Sorry. I hope my growl didn’t scare you.)

AVOID TOXIC MEDS We have completely changed the way we deal with fleas and heartworm control, opting for more natural methods. If you use conventional methods, there are two hidden dangers you may not have contemplated:1) if you have multiple canines who groom one another, they may be grooming flea meds straight into their systems; and 2) Many products safe for dogs aren’t safe for cats. Not that we know any cats, but if you do…. One more thing, if a product says to wash your hands immediately after use and rush your child to the hospital if she ingests it, please ask yourself: WHAT IS IT DOING TO MY DOG???????

SPAY AND NEUTER EARLY I was spayed just before my first season (around six months). This dramatically reduced my chances of getting breast cancer—a very common cancer in dogs. Jiggy was neutered at the same age (although we don’t use the neuter word around him). This saved him from testicular cancer but, alas, not necessarily prostate cancer; you have to keep checking for that.

DON’T SMOKE AROUND YOUR DOG Passive smoke can cause doggy lung cancer.LEARN THE CANCER DANGER SIGNS at http://www.avma.org/communications/brochures/cancer/cancer_brochure.asp.

LEARN HOW TO EXAMINE YOUR DOG The next time you see your vet, have her show you how to evaluate your dog’s poop for problems, and how to check for swollen lymph nodes. When you care for your dog’s teeth, inspect her mouth for oral cancers which are way too common. Our friend Goldy is having a terrible time now fighting oral cancer; we wish him the very best.

GET SLIM and STAY SLIM Even moderate plumpness puts us dogs at increased risk for cancer, and also diabetes, hypertension, reduced liver and gastrointestinal function, osteoarthritis, and ligament damage. And the longer we stay plump, the more risk we face. Being heavy even puts us at greater risk should we ever need surgery—which being heavy also makes more likely. (If your dog needs surgery, check out my book’s chapters Anesthesia Anxiety and Surgery’s A Pain.)

THINK ANTI0XIDANT Our vet, Dr. Tamara Hebbler, has us supplement our diets with green algae. We take Pet Sun Chlorella (www.sunchlorellausa.com) which is especially made for—you guessed it!—pets. I’m pretty sure that includes dogs.I get half a tasty little wafer in the morning, and lucky Jiggy gets a whole wafer day and night. (It’s a male dog’s world.) Dr. Hofve, during our nutrition teleseminar, said she thinks a good green algae product is one of the four most important supplements your dog can take. That surprised me, but not Mom. Does it surprise you? Love and lots of licks, Chiclet T. Dog

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